Chapter 4

The day of my C-section, I hemorrhaged and nearly died.

The doctor said it was a miracle I survived.

After surgery, I began a long course of chemotherapy.

My hair fell out in clumps. I vomited until I thought my bile would come up.

Every single time, I wanted to give up.

But thinking of Lucas, thinking that you might still be alive somewhere in this world, I gritted my teeth and held on.

Until that death notification arrived. I completely fell apart.

It was Sebastian.

My attending physician, and also my senior from college, who had quietly stayed by my side all along.

He connected me with the best specialists and designed the most suitable treatment plan for me.

He even secretly paid my medical bills when I was at my most desperate.

He played the role of a father in Lucas's life.

He said:

"Serena, you have to live. For Lucas, and for yourself."

I lived.

With a body full of illness, I raised our son alone.

I thought suffering would eventually pass.

But you delivered the most devastating blow.

You were alive. So what was that death notification about? Or was it all deliberate?

If it was the latter, what did my ten years of waiting and devotion mean?

I was like a clown, performing a solo act for ten long years.

The next day, after dropping Lucas off at school, I went straight to the hospital.

Sebastian looked grave as he held my latest test results.

"Serena, it's not looking good."

He pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up and sighed.

"The cancer cells in your body are spreading faster. The previous medications can't control it anymore."

I had expected this result.

The increasingly frequent pain had been warning me.

The time bomb buried in my body was about to explode.

I asked calmly:

"How long do I have?"

Sebastian was silent for a moment before forcing out the words:

"If we don't switch to a more aggressive chemotherapy regimen, at most... six months."

Six months.

My life had only six months left.

"Then let's switch."

I looked at him and forced a smile.

"Sebastian, thank you for everything these years."

He looked at me with pain in his eyes, reaching out as if to pat my shoulder, but his hand froze in midair.

"Serena, you---"

He wanted to say something, but was interrupted by an abrupt female voice.

"Serena?"

I turned around to see Jennifer Smith standing at the office door.

"Yes, Miss Smith."

I responded flatly.

Sebastian sensed something was wrong and frowned.

"And this is?"

"I'm Lucas's homeroom teacher."

"Ethan Walker's current wife."

I added that last part.

"Serena, there's something I think you should know."

Jennifer pulled me out of the office.

We sat down on a bench in a quiet corner.

Sebastian stayed at a distance, worried.

"Ethan and I were each other's first loves. We separated for a while, but when we met again ten years ago, we quickly got back together."

"The day he told you about the mission, I told him I was pregnant."

"My father pulled strings and arranged everything for him. All he had to do in return was abandon you."

My brain went blank with a buzz.

So that's how it was.

"Why would you do this?"

I looked at her in disbelief.

"Because I love him. Love means doing whatever it takes, doesn't it?"

"Besides, I was just taking back what was rightfully mine."

"And the facts prove he made the right choice, don't they?"

Jennifer's smile deepened as she looked at my ashen face.